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The MLS Secondary Transfer Window has come and gone.
There are still a few outbound moves potentially on the way, and teams can sign free agents through the Roster Freeze Date (Sept. 13). But for now, it’s still fair to say some teams used the window more effectively than others.
Here are the windows that, for better or worse, you need to know about.
ATLANTA UNITED
Notable In
- M - Alexey Miranchuk
- D - Pedro Amador
Notable Out
- F - Giorgos Giakoumakis
- M - Thiago Almada
- D - Caleb Wiley
Atlanta United entered the summer with a war chest. The departures of Giakoumakis, Almada and Wiley put about $50 million in their pockets. The expectation heading into the window is one of the richest clubs in the league would flex some serious muscle now they’d managed to get even richer.
Instead, it feels like Atlanta came up short. They brought in a potential replacement for Wiley in Amador and seem to have a potential star in Miranchuk, who arrives from Atalanta after putting up some of the best per-90 numbers in Europe last year. But Miranchuk spent a lot of time coming off the bench for one of the most attack-minded teams in Serie A and that’s an easy way to inflate your per-90s. It’s not clear what kind of impact he’ll have. Or who he’ll have as a striker in front of him next season.
Atlanta aimed big this transfer window, but couldn’t find the right fit for their final open DP spot. With a new head coach, new U22s and potentially two new DPs to sign this offseason, they’ll be extremely busy heading into 2025. And if they couldn’t get their new DP striker now, it’s probably not going to be any easier to find the kind of high-level player they’re chasing in the winter.
(Unless the reports of Josh Sargent being available for about $25 million are true, then just go get him. You have the money.)
CHARLOTTE FC
Notable In
- D - Tim Ream
- F - Karol Swiderski
- M - Pep Biel (likely soon)
Notable Out
Charlotte jumped on the biggest and fastest roller coaster at Carowinds and took their poor fanbase on a ride. For a moment, it seemed like they were on track for one of the single-best summer windows we’ve seen.
Everyone who watches MLS knows how close they are to becoming an elite team. They just need a couple more quality attacking pieces. Based on reports, it looks like they came agonizingly close to bringing in those pieces and then some. They reportedly made it all the way to the medical phase in their pursuit of Feyonoord No. 10 Calvin Stengs before the deal collapsed. Stengs would have been a potentially club-defining signing given his profile and ability.
In the meantime, they were relatively close to bringing Miguel Almirón back to MLS. First and foremost, it might have broken the Atlanta United fanbase completely. Second, Almirón still has plenty of juice to tear up MLS. That deal also fell apart. They were linked with Tottenham’s Giovani Lo Celso at one point, too.
UPDATE: After I finished writing that blurb, Charlotte swung the car back around and reportedly grabbed a No. 10 named Pep Biel from Olympiacos on loan with a purchase option. It’s clear Biel isn’t the first choice Charlotte would have made, but at least they’re trying to bring in the attacking talent they need to make a genuine push for MLS Cup this year and maybe next.
Biel joins longtime Fulham defender Tim Ream and returning DP attacker Karol Swiderski. Ream boosts an already steely defense and Swiderski is a quality MLS player. This team is certainly taking big swings to build on the foundation Dean Smith has helped establish.
CHICAGO FIRE FC
Notable In
Notable Out
- M - Xherdan Shaqiri
- Exec - George Heitz
It feels like there’s sunlight breaking through in Chicago for the first time in a long time. They finally parted ways with DP Xherdan Shaqiri and there will be someone new in charge of finding his replacement when sporting director George Heitz exits at the end of the season. Sometimes you have to go back to go forward.
FC CINCINNATI
Notable In
- D - Chidozie Awaziem
- F - Nicholas Gioacchini
Notable Out
Awaziem arrives as the center back replacement Cincy desperately needed after Matt Miazga and Nick Hagglund went down for the season. We still don’t quite know how well he’ll fit in alongside Miles Robinson, but at least Cincy didn’t sit on their hands and let a championship window close.
Boupendza is gone after MLS terminated his contract. In the meantime, they brought Niko Gioacchini back to MLS on a short-term loan. He’s a proven commodity in this league and needed playing time after his move to Italy’s Como.
COLUMBUS CREW
Notable In
- M - Dylan Chambost
- M - Aziel Jackson
- D - DeJuan Jones
- D - Andrés Herrera
Notable Out
- M - Aidan Morris
- D - Will Sands
- Exec - Tim Bezbatchenko
One of the league’s best teams stayed shockingly busy this summer despite the departure of president and GM Tim Bezbatchenko. It looks like his replacement, Issa Tall, is picking up right where Bezbatchenko left off.
The Crew added reinforcements in midfield after the departure of Aidan Morris by signing Dylan Chambost and Aziel Jackson, then somehow got even better at wingback by trading for DeJuan Jones and signing Andrés Herrera.
The Crew want more trophies and odds are they’re going to get them.
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
Notable In
- F - Ezequiel Ponce
- F - Lawrence Ennali
Notable Out
Full marks to Houston for recognizing their obvious needs and addressing him. It’s almost shockingly straightforward considering how other teams with obvious needs just didn’t address them. By bringing in Ponce on a DP deal and Ennali on a U22 deal, they’ve set themselves up for a final stretch where challenging for a home playoff spot and a little more is a real possibility.
At the very least, they’ve set themselves up to keep building on the success of the last two seasons. It’s felt for a while like they’re just a couple of steps away from becoming a team ready to challenge the top of the league.
LAFC
Notable In
- F - Olivier Giroud
- M - Lewis O’Brien
Notable Out
Adding one of the best No. 9s in the history of French soccer and an MLS-proven midfielder to one of the best teams in the league is probably a good thing.
LA GALAXY
Notable In
Notable Out
Adding one of the best attacking midfielders in the history of German soccer to one of the four teams in the league is probably a good thing.
INTER MIAMI CF
Notable In
- D - Héctor David Martínez
Notable Out
Martínez’s early red card in the League Cup Round of 32 probably didn’t help much, but Inter Miami addressed a clear need at center back by bringing in the River Plate defender.
It will be a moment before we know how well he fits in, but he could end up being the difference between winning a trophy or going home empty-handed. The Herons need Martínez to be an anchor at the back for a defense that hasn’t been effective enough at handling the tough task of keeping the ball out of the back of the net when opponents waltz past their more attack-minded teammates. It… kind of happens a lot. Martínez is going to be critical.
PHILADELPHIA UNION
Notable In
- M - Danley Jean Jacques
- F - Samuel Adeniran
Notable Out
- M - José Martínez (likely)
- F - Julián Carranza
Martínez would be a massive loss for Philly if it goes through. He is a Daily Kickoff favorite and has been since his arrival in 2020. It sure looks like he’s on his way to Corinthians in Brazil. Can Jacques replace him? That’s a big task for the Haitain international, though his Ligue 1 pedigree is notable.
At forward, losing Carranza to Feyenoord hurt. For now, Tai Baribo is stepping up in a major way and Adeniran fits their style perfectly.
REAL SALT LAKE
Notable In
- M - Diogo Gonçalves
- F - Dominik Marczuk
Notable Out
- F - Andrés Gómez (likely)
Gonçalves has arrived from Danish Superliga side FC Copenhagen for a reported $3 million transfer fee. Marczuk is on his way from the reigning Polish champions on a U22 deal. They’re set to elevate Real Salt Lake’s already outstanding attack even further… or at least elevate whatever’s left of their attack once Gómez heads out.
Reports indicate that Gómez is joining Ligue 1’s Stade Rennes for $11 million. That’s a hefty sum for RSL and deserved for Gómez after a breakout season that’s seen him put up 13 goals and nine assists. But it’s a total bummer for RSL, who are set to challenge for trophies down the stretch. With Gonçalves coming in, they were good enough to do it. With Gómez heading out, it’s much less likely.
This isn’t official yet, though. Maybe there’s still some hope. Maybe a loan back for the rest of the season could solve some problems? That’s wishful thinking.
ST. LOUIS CITY SC
Notable In
- M - Marcel Hartel
- M - Cedric Teuchert
- F - Simon Becher
- D - Henry Kessler
- D - Jannes Horn
- D/M - Jake Girdwood-Reich
Notable Out
- M - Aziel Jackson
- F - Sam Adeniran
- D - Tim Parker
St. Louis brought in Hartel on a free transfer and gave him enough of a salary to make him a DP. He’s already ignited the attack alongside Teuchert (another Bundesliga alum) and Becher (an MLS-proven forward)
They also sent out Tim Parker in exchange for a more long-term solution at center back in Henry Kessler. And they have a new left back in Horn.
None of those moves will make St. Louis immediate contenders, but it’s clear they’ve finally accepted their first roster build needed some tweaks and improvements. They’ll come back stronger in year three after banking a little too much on the success they had in year one.
MINNESOTA UNITED FC
Notable In
- F - Kelvin Yeboah
- D - Jefferson Díaz
- D - Matúš Kmeť
- M - Joaquín Pereyra
Notable Out
- M - Emanuel Reynoso
- M - Kervin Arriaga
- M - Caden Clark
The Loons were struggling at one point this spring. So they went out and signed two Designated Players. Can Yeboah and Pereyra make them a real contender in the West?
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
Notable In
- F - Luca Langoni
- M - Alhassan Yusuf
- D - Tim Parker
- D - Will Sands
Notable Out
- D - DeJuan Jones
- D - Henry Kessler
The Revs aren’t exactly an Eastern Conference favorite right now, and their fans really didn’t like Jones and Kessler leaving via trades. But are they better than before the summer window? That’s certainly up for debate, with Langoni arriving from Boca Juniors on a U22 deal and Yusuf arriving with an impressive pedigree. Both those moves are with an eye on 2025, too.
AUSTIN FC
Notable In
- F - Osman Bukari
- D - Mikkel Desler
- D - Oleksandr Svatok
Notable Out
It’s easy to forget about Austin’s summer window because they got the work done so early – all three players above were signed before July rolled around. But getting three starting-level talents is solid business, especially with Bukari occupying a DP spot in their post-Emiliano Rigoni world.
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